Gloria Agpaoa, wife of the late Major Pacifico Agpaoa and ever present mother of nine children, passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 19, 2015 at the blessed age of 94 years. 

Gloria lived a full and vibrant life across the world’s continents. She was born in Dutch Guiana, South America and raised in British Guiana. Gloria joined the Dutch Army as a young woman during World War II. While stationed in the Pacific Theater in Papua-New Guinea, she met the love of her life, Pacifico (Pat) Agpaoa. He was a United States Army Paratrooper under the command of General MacArthur. They married soon after the war and were posted to Fort Ord, California. Their family grew as they were stationed in Paris and Orly Air Field, France; Fort Lewis, Washington; and finally back to Fort Ord, California. Pacifico took Gloria on many trips throughout Europe when stationed near Paris. She remembered them with great fondness. Later, even with nine children, there was always day camping in the Sierras and annual road trips to the Pacific Northwest. 

Gloria was a parishioner at St. Mary of the Nativity Parish and member of the Altar Society. All her children attended the Parochial School and were instructed by Franciscan Sisters. To show her appreciation for their dedication, Gloria often sent them flower bouquets from her garden. She was an excellent seamstress and sewed Sunday dresses for her daughters when they were young. As the daughters married, Gloria sewed dresses for the flower girls, created their petal baskets, and arranged floral bouquets for the bridal parties. Gloria loved cooking for her ever-growing family. The son-in-laws especially loved her barbecue ribs. On special occasions, she would cook Won Ton soup making the wrappers from scratch. The grandchildren loved listening to Grandma Gloria tell childhood stories of growing up in British Guiana; especially the ones with the manatees and alligators.

Gloria and Pacifico instilled in their children, the love of travel, adventure, and education. Gloria’s unwavering Catholic faith sustained her during life’s trials, giving her strength to raise nine children alone after Pacifico passed in 1974. Gloria’s strength was undoubtedly supported by her proper British sense of stalwart courage and honor when facing life’s daunting challenges. She always sang, “God Save the Queen” with fervor. Later in life, Gloria had a life long wish come true when she traveled to London, England with her daughters. 

Under Gloria’s guidance and her true force of will, all nine children survive. She will be forever remembered by Frances (Billy) Harrington, Anthony Agpaoa, Val Laursen, Maxwell Agpaoa, Liz (Dan) Crittenden, Monica (Rick) Gonzales, Bernadette (Rich) Miller, Dennis (Ronda) Agpaoa, Theresa (Ernie) Ocampo as well as eighteen grandchildren and seven great- grandchildren. Her grandchildren remember her as: strong, loving, encouraging, a fighter, hungry, independent, impressive, steadfast, benevolent, caring, determined, and with one last memory of being told by Grandma Gloria: “not to put ice in Wonton Soup".

Her family will miss Gloria, but they take comfort knowing she is at peace and reunited with Pat once more.